A Company Culture is defined as “the shared values, beliefs and practices of the company’s employees.”  A company culture of customer service is the #1 way to differentiate your company from your competitors. Firms identified as having a positive company culture outperform their competitors by 200% or more.  I speak with PhonePRO customers every day about their customer service goals and those that have created and nurtured their own Customer Service Culture have these characteristics in common:   

1. They have defined their overall Service Philosophy and Core Company Values
2. Their management team is fully committed to cultivating a Customer Service Culture
3. They communicate with their customers and utilize their feedback
4. They recognize the vital link between Employee Satisfaction and the Customer Experience
5. They nurture and feed their company culture so it isn’t just a “flavor of the month” 

The first step in creating a customer service culture is to define your Service Philosophy and Core Company Values.  This is a tough one but it is essential to creating your “culture makeover!”  The good news is, once these values are created they will be the foundation for all the other steps so the process will get easier as you go.  

According to Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos and author of “Delivering Happiness”, if you have the right company values everything else will fall into place including phenomenal customer service, employee satisfaction and retention, and of course, a positive company culture.  The 10 Core Values at Zappos are:    �
1. Deliver WOW through Service
2. Embrace and Drive Change
3. Create Fun and a Little Weirdness (my favorite!)
4. Be Adventurous, Creative and Open-Minded
5. Pursue Growth and Learning
6. Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication
7. Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
8. Do More with Less
9. Be Passionate and Determined
10.Be Humble

So how can you come up with the core values that truly represent the type of company you want to be?  Start by having brainstorming sessions where everyone can contribute to develop values that your company can stand behind.  Then commit to those values, let everyone know what they are and provide specific examples of how to practice them.   

One of our core values at PhonePRO is “Team before Self.”  What this means to me is whenever I make a decision at work, I ask myself “is it good for the team, or is it just good for me?”  If the answer is “just me” I know I need to go back to the drawing board.  This isn’t always easy to do but we have made the commitment to this value and we have seen it pay off time and time again.  Here is just one example…           

At the end of last year one of our trainers had scheduled a well deserved vacation.  She was looking forward to a relaxing getaway when something happened at work…we got crazy busy!  We had a lot of clients who wanted to do training before the end of the year and of course we wanted to accommodate them if we could.  So Suellen decided to practice “Team before Self” by postponing her trip in order to pitch in and help our clients meet their year-end training goals.  Not only did she still have a great vacation a few weeks later, she also helped our team accomplish our goals for 2011.  Other ways we practice this particular value include pitching in to help each other with projects, answering the phones when they are busy and working late to help a trainer deliver a live webinar for clients in a different time zone.  The words “not my job” are not allowed when practicing Team before Self – rather, it’s more like “all hands on deck!”   

If you have already defined your company’s core values and are practicing them each and every day, Congratulations!  If not, go ahead and get that first brainstorming session scheduled.  A small investment in time will pay big dividends when everyone is working toward the same goal.

I recently spoke with a business owner who told me his main goal for 2012 was to create and cultivate a Customer Service Culture within his organization.  He went as far as to say that delivering outstanding customer service is his top priority in order to grow his company; otherwise he fears it will become stagnant and quite possibly disappear.  Keep in mind that his employees are already delivering good service, so here’s the real question…is just being good no longer good enough?  According to Jim Collins in his book Good to Great “good is the enemy of great.”

In the best-selling book “Delivering Happiness”, Tony Hsieh describes how excellent customer service has been a key factor in how his company, Zappos.com, has skyrocketed to over $1 billion in gross merchandise sales in less than 10 years.  The ideas in this book go hand-in-hand with a concept that is quickly becoming the #1 goal of many organizations, and that is the idea of a “Customer Service Culture.”                     

Customer Service has become the #1 differentiator between companies in today’s competitive marketplace.  I speak with my own customers every day about improving their customer service levels and I now hear the term Customer Service Culture almost daily.  When I ask my clients what having a culture of customer service means to them, the answers are limitless.  Some of my favorites are delivering “WOW” service, being the best at what they do and consistently going above and beyond to exceed their customers’ expectations.  My personal favorite is this:  when a customer calls my company, for any reason, we want them to hang up and think to themselves “I am really glad I called!”   

This is a big change from the days where customer service was far less important than cutting costs and increasing the bottom line.  Too often, the overused phrase “your call is very important to us” actually now means the exact opposite for people waiting on hold to speak with a customer service representative.  So smart companies now realize creating their own Customer Service Culture ultimately results in increased profits with the added bonuses of happier employees, positive word of mouth, referrals from current customers and an excellent reputation for their company and their brand.

The question is, how can you create and benefit from an intentional customer service culture within your company?  In this 5-part series I will reveal strategies that my most successful clients have used to “deliver happiness” to their customers and employees.         

1. Learn how to define your Service Philosophy and Core Company Values
2. The role of management in cultivating a Customer Service Culture
3. How to communicate with your customers and utilize their feedback
4. The important link between Employee Satisfaction and the Customer Experience
5. How to nurture and feed your Customer Service Culture so it isn’t just the “flavor of the month”

This list could go on and on but these are 5 things that are consistently present with my clients that have truly created and cultivated their Culture of Customer Service.  The next question is “how do I begin?” The answer has to do with your service philosophy and core values.  Stay tuned!

Growing up in the Midwest, I was always spellbound by the big summer storms that would roll through. I was fascinated by the tall trees as they whipped back and forth, branches shaking every which way as Mother Nature unleashed her wrath. Occasionally, the force of the storm was too great for an unyielding tree and the entire tree would come crashing down, leaving a tangled mess in the yard. The trees left standing were often tattered and torn, but in the end it was their flexibility that got them through the storm.

Our current economic conditions remind me of watching those storms. Many companies are hunkered down, battening the hatches, bracing themselves and following the rules – yet what is essential during these stormy times is flexibility. Flexibility and adapting to current circumstances is what will leave companies standing long after the economic storm has passed. To that end, when interacting with your customers, do your employees know how to be flexible when following your company’s policies and procedures? Do they know how to balance the needs of both company and customer during these tough economic times?

A recent example: For several years, I have had a quarterly arrangement with an exterminator for pest control in my home (no formal written contract). For a variety of reasons, I opted to skip the 4th quarter treatment. And since it was the middle of a Midwest winter, I didn’t see the value in spraying for bugs when none were around. I called to cancel the visit and was informed that skipping the treatment would subject me to a triple digit reactivation fee as well as a surcharge for the extra material needed for the next visit. Extra material? Reactivation fee? Reactivation of what? To me, this was a simple arrangement where a guy shows up with a container of liquid that he squirts around the baseboards of my home and since it was the dead of winter the frigid temperatures had already taken care of any pesky critters that survived the 3rd quarter treatment. Upon bringing all of this to the attention of the representative, she simply stated that it was policy to charge the fees. Period.

I ended the call without booking the service visit. The rep’s rigidity in enforcing the policy and inability to balance my needs and the company’s needs resulted in the loss my business now and forever. Was this her fault? Perhaps…or maybe it was the result of her real or perceived lack of power to find a solution that would serve us both. Surcharges, cancellation fees and penalties are an accepted way to dissuade customers from abusing a company’s goods and services. But when an employee lacks the knowledge, desire or authority to consider other viable options and simply quotes policy, they may be failing the very company and revenue they are trying to protect. Now more than ever, it’s critical to be flexible and to consider that the potential financial loss of that customer and their future referrals would likely supersede any revenue gained by enforcing rigid policies in the present: In other words, “Don’t step over a dollar to pick up a dime.”

If you want to preserve your current customer base (and who doesn’t?) now may be a good time to assess what authority your reps have to negotiate with your customers. Give them the power to make your customers feel heard and valued. Talk to them – ask them if there are policies that are costing you customers – they’re the ones that will know! And if there are, then take a look at whether the rules can be bent and how far – and then give the reps the power to do it. In these uncertain times, some companies will survive and thrive, some will be tattered and torn and some will crash in a tangled mess. In the end, it’s a company’s flexibility or lack of it that will determine if they stand or fall after the storm.

According to Wikipedia, an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is a “phone technology that allows a computer to detect voice and touch tones using a normal phone call. The IVR system can respond with pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio to further direct callers on how to proceed.” But some people might define IVR more simply as “That annoying automated system that gives an endless list of prompts and menu options – often used to increase difficulty for customers trying to reach a human being when calling a company for assistance.”

What used to be a phone “tree” has now morphed into a virtual “forest”, requiring callers to press 10 or more options in order to reach a human, costing consumers valuable time and money. Desperate consumers looking for shortcuts are resorting to websites such as www.gethuman.com to access secret phone numbers and codes that immediately get a live person on the line for customer service at nearly 1,000 major companies.

Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, recently conducted a survey of more than 2,000 consumers in the United States and the United Kingdom. Here are some alarming findings from the survey:

• Participants expressed a distinct preference for a more personal – and personable – service experience, and disdained the increasing use of technology in service operations (especially the tools aimed at removing humans from the service equation).
• When given the option of telephone, email, website, live online chat, sending a letter, or actually going to a place of business, 86% of U.S. survey applicants said that when they have a problem, they pick up the phone.
• 58% of survey participants said they are not at all satisfied with automated telephone customer service.
• 61% disagree that the use of technology (such as automated phone attendants and live internet chats) in customer service has improved the level of service significantly in the past five years.
• Consumers are clearly not happy with the pervasive role of technology in customer service operations. Companies simply must solve the service puzzle – they have no choice. If they don’t, their disenchanted, frustrated customers will become even easier prey for competitors.

A badly implemented IVR could damage your organization’s reputation, cost you customers and increase your costs and call volume. So it’s important to understand the proper use of an IVR system to maintain a balance of efficiency and operational costs while retaining existing customers (not scaring them away) and attracting new ones.

So if telephone service is here to stay, and many callers don’t like interacting with a machine, how can companies make it ‘less scary’ for their callers? Here are a few simple tips related to IVR Best Practices:

1. Provide no more than 4 options per menu, with the most urgent or frequently selected options being first.

2. Describe the key function first, followed by which key to press.

3. Be sure key functions are helpful and detailed enough to assist callers in making their selection.

4. Allow callers enough time to respond to the prompts and to key ahead for quick navigation through the IVR menus.

5. Make it easy for callers who need to speak with an agent. Not all caller needs can be satisfied by the IVR system and it’s important that your callers can easily select to speak with an agent during normal business hours.

6. Provide an option to repeat the menu options and to return to the previous menu if applicable.

Leave the ghosts and goblins for Halloween and use the IVR as the helpful tool it was intended to be. A properly designed IVR will guide callers quickly and when needed, deliver them safely into the capable hands of the frontline reps that will assist them. As Accenture notes: “One of the most significant findings of our survey is that the human touch still counts when it comes to customer service – in fact, it counts a lot.”

A few months ago, a friend related a story to me about one of his employees while shaking his head in disbelief. My friend works in management at a local engineering firm and had recently hired a young man fresh out of college – he didn’t have much experience, but my friend felt he had real potential.

That potential quickly faded when the new employee marched into my friend’s office and demanded a raise after only two weeks! He said the job was harder than he’d expected, and he felt he had proven himself – so he not only deserved a raise, but more paid vacation time as well! The look of utter shock and amazement on my friend’s face as he related this conversation isn’t one I’ll soon forget. He asked me, “Who does this kid think he is?” The answer is he’s a member of what is known as “Generation Y” and there are many more just like him entering the workforce!

Just who are these “Generation Y” people? They were born between the late 1970′s and late 1990′s and there are over 70 million of them in the U.S. alone. Highly educated as well as racially and ethnically diverse, they were pampered and nurtured by their parents, and were constantly stimulated with activities since they were toddlers. They tend to be perceived as being spoiled, self-centered, high maintenance and having a short attention span. How’s that for a winning combination?

On the other hand, they have the ability to multi-task and accomplish more, better and faster. So if you want a job well done, give them the direction and the training to do it – that’s the key. They crave knowledge and love challenges – especially if it will get them further up the corporate ladder. The other key to success with this group is coaching. Providing feedback on things they are doing well in addition to things that need improvement will provide them both recognition for their accomplishments as well as the challenge to improve.

Their parents taught them that they can accomplish whatever they set out to do, and in many cases, they were rewarded for participating in life’s normal activities (think caps and gowns for graduating pre-school), while also being protected from experiencing failure. As a result, they display a strong sense of entitlement. While this is shocking to many, it’s important to recognize that this generation views work simply as a means to enjoy life. In other words, there is more to life than work. WHAT??? But this viewpoint shouldn’t be confused with laziness or a poor work ethic. While it’s true they tend to shy away from the normal 8-5 schedule, the reality is that they are some of the most dedicated workers ever and they bring with them motivation, fresh ideas and enthusiasm. By offering them flexible schedules for social and personal time, a casual dress environment and recognition for good work, you will help keep this generation motivated, dedicated and productive.

“Generation Y” can also be perceived as having a lack of respect for authority. The main reason is they were raised to question everything they don’t understand and now they want the same kind of relationship with their employers that they had with their parents – they want to have the permission to question – to understand the “why”. Managers tend to interpret this as a lack of respect for their authority and not a search for deeper understanding. But as an employer, it is important not to view their questioning as insubordination, but to understand that they are continually thinking and learning. They are always looking for new and better ways of doing things, and everything that they learn gives them information that may lead to a new process that could make the employer’s life and work easier!

Obviously, this generation is very different than others in the past. They have specific needs, that if not met, will make for a poor relationship between employer and employee. Understanding, accepting, and being sensitive to the needs of the Generation Y staff member is the key to success in managing them. With this insight, you will be able to build strong relationships that will allow your company to reap the benefits of their knowledge, skills, ideas and enthusiasm.

My friend told his young employee that it was a bit too early to be asking for a raise and offered some other suggestions instead. He started by giving him some specific goals to accomplish in order to move up within the organization, and he gave him the training and tools to achieve them. The good news is he is still there and doing great! He will probably even get that raise he wanted at his next review. The vacation time is still under negotiation…

Previously, we got a glimpse of the three main causes of job misery as described by Patrick Lencioni in the book “The Three Signs of a Miserable Job”.

1. Anonymity (Lack of Recognition)

2. Irrelevance (Lack of Relevance)

3. Immeasurement (Lack of Rulers or ways to measure success)

Now let’s take a look at the personal and economic impact of job misery.

The Personal Impact of Job Misery As we all know, when we’re miserable at work, that misery tends to bleed into our personal lives. We spread our frustration, negativity and apathy to our families, friends and even strangers. Before long, these negative emotions can build up and cause family tension, psychological and emotional problems, and even health issues.

For example, imagine that you’ve been working all year without much guidance or feedback from your supervisor, yet on your own, you’ve done your best to determine and fulfill what’s needed and expected. You head into your annual performance review confident that you were meeting the expectations of your position and hoping to have earned a promotion, only to discover that neither is true. Your employer is disappointed with your job performance and you’re frustrated that clearer expectations weren’t initially explained. The scenario replays itself over and over on your way home until you walk in the front door, your spouse asks where the dry cleaning is (which you forgot to pick up) and you snap! Stress from the workplace just entered the home. That question probably wouldn’t have bothered you on its own, but pair it with the activities of the day and it becomes just one more way someone else is unhappy with the way you performed.

The Economic Impact of Job Misery Whether our thoughts, feelings and attitudes are positive or negative, they tend to infiltrate our conversations. And just as happiness and joy can spread from person to person, misery can be contagious. If we are unhappy and unfulfilled in our jobs, we will likely share this with co-workers. Before long, that misery can quickly permeate the work culture, and when negativity invades the workplace, the evidence quickly appears in the form of higher absenteeism and turnover, as well as decreased performance and productivity levels. But the flip side is where there is contentment and optimism, solutions to these problems are close at hand.

Patrick Lencioni conducted several case studies to learn how companies are impacted when these three signs of job misery are addressed or are not addressed by management. This is what he learned:

A Closer Look at the Economic Impact of Job Misery . . . Show me the Money! In today’s economy, it’s critical for every business to be sensitive to where their losses are coming from and how they can be prevented. For example, most companies expect to have a percentage of turnover each year, but unless the rehire process has been evaluated, they may be shocked by the actual cost involved in hiring a new employee, versus keeping the current one.

Will Helmlinger, a VP in Human Resources for a major software company, recently wrote an article addressing the cost of turnover, featuring a company hiring a Customer Service Representative making $18,000/year. When the actual expense of hiring the new employee was calculated, the total was an alarming $58,000! The first inclination may be to quickly dismiss this figure and assume that this isn’t the reality for your company. But it’s likely the featured company hadn’t thought that the process of hiring a new employee would be that expensive either! To help determine the actual cost of hiring a new employee, below is a formula that Mr. Helmlinger recommends:

Anyone that takes the time to complete this chart will likely be surprised by the expense of losing just one employee. But the expense may not stop there. Let’s dig a little deeper and determine the company wide impact. For a practical example, let’s assume that the cost of losing one employee is $7,000. Assuming a 30% annual turnover rate at a company with 50 employees, the losses quickly add up.

This scenario sheds a whole new light on the term, “Love the One You’re With”. If you focused on counteracting the three signs of job misery and were able to reduce your turnover rate by 10% or 15%, how much would this save your company? Imagine if even a fraction of that money was spent on keeping existing employees rather than continually replacing them. The savings would likely be substantial.

Time Spent is Money Saved One of the greatest gifts you can give someone is time. In a technically savvy world, we have more ways than ever to stay connected with one another. Yet with all of that technology, it’s easy to lose touch with those within arm’s reach. How many times have you sat in a restaurant and observed someone texting when there is a live person right in front of them? It is equally easy to lose touch in the workplace, so take the time to connect with your staff and prevent the signs of job misery. Are they Recognized regularly? Has it been expressed to them how Relevant they are to the success of the business? Do they understand the Rulers with which they can measure their success? The answers to these questions may not be obvious and it may take an investment of time to get an accurate pulse on your team’s level of job satisfaction. But considering the potential expense of losing even one employee, isn’t it well worth the effort? Spend some time to determine whether Recognition, Relevance, or Rulers are being utilized or if they need more time and attention. Devoting some time preventing job misery in your staff could result in big savings down the road!

In our next article, we will reveal tools that will help create an environment in which your employees will get the Recognition they need, understand their Relevance to the company, and learn how to use Rulers of self assessment. Until then, digging a little deeper to determine your employee’s level of job satisfaction (or misery) is guaranteed to be an excellent use of your time.

Growing up in the Midwest, I was always spellbound by the big summer storms that would roll through. I was fascinated by the tall trees as they whipped back and forth, branches shaking every which way as Mother Nature unleashed her wrath. Occasionally, the force of the storm was too great for an unyielding tree and the entire tree would come crashing down, leaving a tangled mess in the yard. The trees left standing were often tattered and torn, but in the end it was their flexibility that got them through the storm.

Our current economic conditions remind me of watching those storms. Many companies are hunkered down, battening the hatches, bracing themselves and following the rules – yet what is essential during these stormy times is flexibility. Flexibility and adapting to current circumstances is what will leave companies standing long after the economic storm has passed. To that end, when interacting with your customers, do your employees know how to be flexible when following your company’s policies and procedures? Do they know how to balance the needs of both company and customer during these tough economic times?

A recent example: For several years, I have had a quarterly arrangement with an exterminator for pest control in my home (no formal written contract). For a variety of reasons, I opted to skip the 4th quarter treatment. And since it was the middle of a Midwest winter, I didn’t see the value in spraying for bugs when none were around. I called to cancel the visit and was informed that skipping the treatment would subject me to a triple digit reactivation fee as well as a surcharge for the extra material needed for the next visit. Extra material? Reactivation fee? Reactivation of what? To me, this was a simple arrangement where a guy shows up with a container of liquid that he squirts around the baseboards of my home and since it was the dead of winter the frigid temperatures had already taken care of any pesky critters that survived the 3rd quarter treatment. Upon bringing all of this to the attention of the representative, she simply stated that it was policy to charge the fees. Period.

I ended the call without booking the service visit. The rep’s rigidity in enforcing the policy and inability to balance my needs and the company’s needs resulted in the loss my business now and forever. Was this her fault? Perhaps…or maybe it was the result of her real or perceived lack of power to find a solution that would serve us both. Surcharges, cancellation fees and penalties are an accepted way to dissuade customers from abusing a company’s goods and services. But when an employee lacks the knowledge, desire or authority to consider other viable options and simply quotes policy, they may be failing the very company and revenue they are trying to protect. Now more than ever, it’s critical to be flexible and to consider that the potential financial loss of that customer and their future referrals would likely supersede any revenue gained by enforcing rigid policies in the present: In other words, “Don’t step over a dollar to pick up a dime.”

If you want to preserve your current customer base (and who doesn’t?) now may be a good time to assess what authority your reps have to negotiate with your customers. Give them the power to make your customers feel heard and valued. Talk to them – ask them if there are policies that are costing you customers – they’re the ones that will know! And if there are, then take a look at whether the rules can be bent and how far – and then give the reps the power to do it. In these uncertain times, some companies will survive and thrive, some will be tattered and torn and some will crash in a tangled mess. In the end, it’s a company’s flexibility or lack of it that will determine if they stand or fall after the storm.

Free Compliments! What a great idea! Bummed out by all of the negativity on the airwaves regarding world affairs and the economy, two sophomores at Purdue University in Indiana took to the streets to make a difference by doling out compliments and brightening the days of passing pedestrians. Once a week, no matter the weather they stand outside, shout out compliments and spread good cheer, motivated only by the simple notion “that not enough people do nice things anymore.” Take a look! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QShPNcjgtfs

As a Hoosier, I must say that I am quite proud of these two for trying to make the world a better place. As a Phone Pro, I am equally proud because their positive message is one that we have been teaching in our techniques for years. Those in management or leadership positions ought to take note of “The Compliment Guys” as an example of “doing good” for no payoff other than the simple satisfaction that comes from doing the good deed itself (this lesson is often lost on Corporate America).

We all want to feel valued! And that includes Customers and Colleagues. None of us want our efforts to go unnoticed, yet unfortunately that is often what happens as we busy ourselves with obligations, meetings, deadlines, etc… When these obligations overtake our lives, we can easily miss opportunities for affirming and appreciating the people around us. It is essential to our overall well-being to take time out to affirm our colleagues, appreciate our customers and find value in each other. And it’s easy to do! Appreciation for others can be demonstrated in the simplest of ways. For example, you might…

• embrace new ideas with an open mind

• acknowledge positive personal or professional changes in others

• be generous with accolades

• recognize someone for a personal or professional accomplishment

• communicate your delight with a personal handwritten note

• congratulate a colleague with a special treat

• encourage teamwork

• open doors and hold elevators

• give someone a ‘cut in line’ ahead of you

• compliment a customer…

…and the list goes on and on. As we’ve all heard, it’s the little things that matter. The little things we say and do that make another person feel good or smart or valued. Showing appreciation or giving a compliment can take just a moment to do, but it can go a long way toward strengthening a relationship or even improving the day of a complete stranger. And in turn, it will make us feel better too. And that’s a Win Win!

So, how important is fun, laughter and humor in the workplace? Research has found that fun in the workplace can build teamwork, increase productivity, improve voice tone, enhance training, promote creativity, and fight boredom. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s have some fun!

But now the challenge rears its ugly head….How can we incorporate humor and fun in our everyday life at work? How can we encourage fun and laughter without minimizing the importance and seriousness of what we are trying to accomplish?

Consider these ideas for increasing the fun factor in your department:

* What would your staff do if you walked into a staff meeting in your pj’s?

* What if you wore a funny hat to a coaching session?

* How many laughs would you get with a contest to see who has had the funniest customer call?

* Put up a bulletin board in the break room for the staff to fill with funny call center or work environment cartoons and jokes.

* Have weekly contests that include the funniest caption to a photo taken at the office.

You will find that the members of management who aren’t afraid to have fun, smile, and act silly sometimes, are the managers who get the most from their staff. So, go on, have some fun, and see how a fun work environment can work for you and your staff!!!

The philosophy behind the phrase “Dress for Success” should extend beyond just the interview process. It’s tempting once we land the job we want to relax our standards and get a little too comfortable in our clothing choices. But while people aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, the reality is that most of them do. And how you dress could be saying more about you than you realize! Like it or not, the selection we make each morning while standing at the closet can say a lot about how we feel about ourselves and can have a great effect on how others perceive us, and how far we advance in our careers.

Today, approximately 90% of the workforce has at least one ‘casual day’ a week and many companies have gone to ‘business casual’ 5 days a week. The problem is that unless the term ‘casual’ is defined, you might have employees showing up in garb that would have been better left on the hanger or in the bottom drawer. In many instances, ‘casual’ became interchangeable with ‘sloppy’, and ‘Casual Friday” turned into ‘Dumpy Frumpy Friday’. This is in part due to the fact that ‘business casual’ seems to have become synonymous with ‘weekend casual’ and while your jogging suit or tattered jeans and collarless t-shirt might be suitable for the casual backyard barbeque, they aren’t appropriate choices to make for casual day attire at the office.

Here are some suggestions that I’ve compiled from my visits to dozens of companies each year:

* If jeans are an option in the workplace, then a darker denim or black jean looks much dressier than the faded stone washed pair with threadbare knees and tattered bottoms.

* Sporty watches or funky-chunky jewelry can dress up a simple collared blouse with 3/4 length sleeves.

* A pressed, collared golf shirt or tee looks much better than the wrinkled one pulled from the bottom drawer. Combine a simple pressed tee with a jacket, a pair of jeans and leather belt and you have a polished presence in the workplace whether you are male or female.

* Dressy sandals on manicured/groomed feet (for either gender) give you a much dressier look than the old standby of socks and tennis shoes.

* If shorts are an option, keep them pressed and just slightly above or below the knee. Save those short-shorts for the pool and backyard barbeque where they are more appropriate.

* Micro mini’s, very low cut blouses, sequined tops, see-through shirts, fishnet stockings, halters, camisoles or crop tops that expose bellies or midriffs, stiletto heels and the exposure of undergarments is NEVER EVER appropriate attire for the office! All of those items might come to mind for a fun costume for the office Halloween party, but even on that festive occasion, you might find that to be a regretful choice that haunts you in the long run.

While it would be nice to think that we live in a world free of judgment, the simple fact is that we don’t! And what a shame it would be to be passed over for a promotion, special project or other opportunity simply because of poor choices that were made while standing in front of the closet. So much of how others view us professionally depends on how we carry ourselves – which includes the clothes we wear. Obviously, there are many people that either don’t know this or don’t believe it. Don’t let yourself be one of them! You don’t have to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks. And remember…when in doubt – don’t wear it out!